MemorialCare Sports Medicine Physicians Bring Unique Training, Perspective to X-Games & Other Action Sports

Josh Snodgrass, M.D., standing atop the X Games "Pool," and his team of physicians specializing in sports medicine for action sports athletes recently cared for patients at the X Games in Ventura.

MemorialCare Medical Group in Long Beach is unlike many other primary care groups in that it emphasizes sports medicine. The group also serves as the Family Residency Program for MemorialCare Long Beach Medical Center, where recent medical school graduates choose to enter residency to obtain on-the-job training in pursuit of their board certification. Upon completion of family medicine residency, some choose to become fellows and continue their training to obtain additional board certification in sports medicine.

This allows for a strong foundation for the fellows and residents to maintain their primary board certification and continue to work with underserved populations in a primary care context.

Primary care physician specializing in sports medicine, Joshua Snodgrass, MD, CAQSM, program director, Primary Care Sports Medicine Fellowship, has led the program since 2015 and serves as faculty. He created a unique track for those interested in sports medicine in action and extreme sports. He runs the country's only sports medicine fellowship program emphasizing in action sports.

This has allowed him and his team to serve as the physicians who support the medical needs of action sports athletes at many California X Games. Snodgrass and his team have also traveled to X Games internationally.

"Organized sports such as football or baseball often have a strong support network for their athletes," says Dr. Snodgrass. "They have booster clubs, engaged families, and fundraisers for new equipment. The action sports industry has a much higher incidence of substance abuse and kids that come from broken homes. Understanding an athlete's social situation can help us get the necessary resources to provide better care and ultimately make them more successful."

Snodgrass, who came from a broken home himself and was an active street skater in his youth, can identify with these patients and created a program to support them. He teaches his fellows the value of confidentiality and trust and the importance of understanding a patient's background to reach them.

While the team trains on head injuries, ankle injuries, and collar bones, they also work on designing training drills that teach doctors how to jump into an enormous unfilled pool if an athlete goes down, how to get them on a spine board, and how to hoist up them quickly and carefully. This is all part of the planning and practice leading to every X Game event.

"We all have bills to pay, and one of the most difficult things for professional athletes is coping with injuries that stop them from competing," says Dr. Snodgrass. "Oftentimes, if they don't compete, they don't get paid. Our goal in Sports Medicine is to find a way to reach their performance goals while maintaining athlete safety. This is accomplished by building relationships on trust and mutual respect. I like to teach them about their injury, so they are better equipped to prevent them in the future."

Dr. Snodgrass purposefully designed the educational curriculum to maximize the engagement and experience of each individual sports fellow. They build a strong foundation by giving them access to all the usual organized collegiate-level sports. However, allowing them to focus additional attention on their specific passion reinforces their chances of success.

"I understand not everyone likes the same thing, and that is the beauty of human nature. Educational programs should foster creativity and exploration while giving the fellows all the tools to practice medicine," says Dr. Snodgrass. "I always ask what they are passionate about. Being a physician is difficult, but that doesn't mean it can't be enjoyable."

Dr. Snodgrass also serves as Team Physician for Long Beach State Athletics and Cypress College and is working on another partnership with Biola University.

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